The New England Patriots recently hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach, shortly after dismissing Jerod Mayo following the conclusion of the 2024 regular season. However, they garnered criticism for the way they conducted the hiring process involving the Rooney Rule,

Plus, the Cowboys were on-brand in their handling of Mike McCarthy, and thoughts about future contracts for Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy.

The Patriots have a new person in charge of all things football and they expect Vrabel to bring some order to the team.

Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark blasted the New England Patriots on "Inside the NFL" for how they complied with the NFL's Rooney Rule when they hired Mike Vrabel.

In searching for the successor to Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots adhered to the ‘Rooney Rule’ — not in practice, but merely in principle.

Mike Vrabel is believed to be the frontrunner for the head coaching job in New England, and the team quickly cleared a path to hiring him by interviewing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton on Tuesday.

Vrabel coached the Titans from 2018 to 2023. The Titans surprisingly fired him one year after winning the top seed in the AFC.

The Patriots are searching for a new coach after firing Jerod Mayo on Sunday following a brutal first season at the helm.

Breer directly noted the Patriots could've run "a sham interview process" simply because they are "desperate" to get to Vrabel, who has attracted interest from several other clubs and could be hired at any time. Additionally, Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz accused the Patriots of "blatantly" sidestepping the Rooney Rule:

Ryan Clark, former Super Bowl champion and ESPN analyst, criticizes the New England Patriots for their handling of the Rooney Rule during their recent head-coaching search, reigniting debates about NFL diversity efforts.